Logic and sense dictate that to grow a tree, a seed must fall in a suitable place on the ground, water and nutrients are required, and all going well, new growth will result.

Then consider the tree in the photo below. It is growing on a rock, and its roots have wrapped around the rock before finally getting to the ground below. This place gets very hot in summer and very dry. How did it manage to survive long enough in that savage environment?

A tree growing around a rock – why not just grow in the soil?

Something here is miraculous, but also seems, well, just wrong!

Was it just luck perhaps?

Another smaller tree nearby, also growing in and on the rocks

But no, not luck, because a little further on, there were more of these amazing plants – seeming to grow in the rock crevices and on cliff sides.

I do not know what species of trees these are. If anyone reading this knows anything about the extraordinary trees of South Africa, you may know?

Angelia, thanks for coming by and commenting on my photo of this amazing plant.
It looks so old – I wonder how old it is? Because it has not grown very high, its leaves would be grazed off frequently too! It must be very tough!